Safety tensioning levers for skis



Sept- 4, 1962 A. R. DE BEAusAcQ SAFETY TENsIoNING LEvERs FOR sKIs 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 0012. 9, 1958 23 24 25 /f /5123 la /4 F15 Sept. 4, 1962 A. R. DE: BEAusAcQ 3,052,482

SAFETY TENSIONING LEVERS FOR SKIS Filed Oct. 9, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 MM5/Wa? Sept. 4, 1962 A. R. DE BEAUsAcQ SAFETY TENsIoNING LEvERs Foa sxIs 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 9, 1958 Mem @www 5f/Wfl@ ESZZ Patented Sept. 4, 1962 tice 3,052,482 SAFETY TENSIONING LEVERS FOR SKIS Alfred Raymond de Beausacq, 4 Rue Gustave Courbet, Paris, France Filed Oct. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 766,340 Claims priority, application France Get. 11, 1957 13 Claims. (Cl. Zim-11.35)

My invention has for its object a locking system for the safety means of the conventional type incorporated with a ski and including a safety lever pivotally secured to the ski and of which at least a section is adapted to move longitudinally of the latter. In order to lock said lever as 'long as no exaggerated stress is imparted to the ski, I have devised a novel locking system constituted by interengaging parts adapted to hold the lever in its normal position and which are released with the lever upon occurrence of such a stress as provided by the relative movement of a member which urges said interengagin-g parts laterally and horizontally away from each other.

My invention will be more readily understood upon reading of the following disclosure, reference being made to the accompanying ldrawings illustrating by way of example and Without any limiting sense being attached thereto, a preferred embodiment of my said invention, together with three modiiications, given by way of further exempliiications.

In said drawings:

FIG. l illustrates diagrammatically the conventional means for securing a shoe to a ski.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-section of the lever, of the means for tensioning the cable and of the lever-locking means.

FIG. 3 is a plan view from above corresponding to FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section through line IV--IV of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view through line V-V of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section through line VI-VI of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 illustrates a lfurther type of tensioning means in side view, the left-hand side of the lever being torn off, said figure including furthermore a longitudinal sectional view of a first modication of the locking means.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-section through line VIII- VIII of FIG. 7.

`FIG. 9 is a transverse cross-section through line IX- IX of FIG. 7.

FIG. l is a transverse cross-section through line X-X of FIG. 7.

FIG. ll is a side -view of a further type of tensioning means in which the left-hand side of the lever has been torn off, said figure including furthermore a longitudinal sectional view of a second modiiication of the locking means.

FIG. l2 is a horizontal sectional view through line XII-XII of FIG. 1l.

FIG. I3 is a transverse cross-section through line XIII-XIII of FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a longitudinal cross-section registering with said line XII-XII of FIG. l1 and showing a third modification of said locking means.

In all said gures, the front end of the ski is assumed to be -directed towards the left-hand side of the drawings.

In FIG. l which is a general side view showing the parts serving for the securing of a shoe to a ski, there is illustrated a lever 1 pivotally secured at 2 to means secured to the ski and to the sides of which are pivotally secured at 3 two extensions 4 formed on either side of a securing or tensioning member to which latter is connected the cable 6 surrounding the heel and passing underneath the stirrups 7.

In all the igures of the accompanying drawings, the pivotal points 3 are located in a manner such that the line defining the tractional stress exerted by the cable passes slightly above t-he pivot 2 of the lever, the members preventing the raising of the lever being described hereinafter.

FIGS. 2 to 6 illustrate the members forming the tensioning means which incorporate springs operating against compression, said means being associated with a rst embodiment of my invention.

As illustrated more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, a strap 9 is secured to the ski through the screws 8 and between the arms of said strap is pivotally secured through a spindle 2 the lever 1 referred to hereinabove and which is constituted by two telescopic tubes 10 and 11 having a square cross-section. Two coaxial springs 12 and i3 are fitted inside the inner tube 10 and urge forwardly the outer tube 11 while they bear respectively against a solid member 14 rigid with the rear end of said tube 10 on the one hand and against an adjusting screw 15 engaging only the inner spring 13 on the other hand. The spindle 2 extends through the solid member 14 which carries a stop constituted by a stud 16 passing through a port 17 provided in an extension 18 of the lower surface of the outer tube 1.1. To the longitudinal sides of said outer tube '11 are wel-ded two tongues 19 to which are pivotally secured through rivets 3 the two lugs 4 forming part of the securing member 5 which is not illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 and which includes the conventional means for adjusting the operative length of the cable exerting a tractional stress on the rivets 3 in a direction illustrated by the dot-and-dash line extending above the spindle 2.

The sides 20 of a cap-shaped member 21 slope downwardly almost into engagement with the level of the ski and they carry between them an angle member of which the longitudinal arm 22 forms with the rear part of said member 21 a tube having a square cross-section, which tube matches the [front end of the outer tube 11. The other arm of said angle member forms a vertical partition 23. A weak spring 24 is fitted between said partition and a thick cover 25 welded to the tube 11. Inside said cover is screwed a screw 26 extending freely through the partition 23 and the head of which engages a recess formed in the rounded front wall of the cap-shaped member 21 so as to limit as required the shifting of the `cap with reference to the outer tube 11. If desired, a packing of sponge rubber may be itted underneath the rounded Ifront surface of the cap-shaped member.

A thick member 27 secured to the partition 23 forms a stationary element of the means locking the raising movement of the lever forming system. Said thick member (FIG. 5) is provided with two lower sloping surfaces 2S formed underneath the small horizontal recesses in said stationary element 29 acting as female elements engaging the round wires 31 forming the male elements. To the rear of said thick member or stationary element is welded a wire 30 having a semi-circular cross-section (FIG. 4).

The circular wires or male members of elastic steel include upwardly and laterally bent sections so shown at 32 and 33. They are held with -slight friction against an elongated member 34 by the inturned upper section 35 of the latter and by an arm of the strap 9, said section and arm being secured respectively by the wood screws 36 and 8. The raised edges 37 of the member 34 engage the inner surfaces of the sides Z0 (FIG. 5) of the cap-shaped member 21.

The lowering of the lever 1 stretches the cable sure ,um fp el) rounding the skiers heel by causing the tube 11 to recede over the tube inside which the springs are compressed. The sloping surfaces 2S of the thick member 27 rigid with the cap 21 engage the circular wires 31 which are transiently shifted apart and then move back towards each other at the end of the lowering movement of the lever and engage the recesses defined by the surfaces 2S above the horizontal projection 29 so as to prevent any ,subsequent raising of the lever.

It should be remarked that in this iirst embodiment, the circular wires form both the movable element and the elastic element since, being made of elastic steel, their elasticity provides for cooperation between the male and female elements ensuring an automatic locking without the drawback of the manual operation of a bolt.

The release may be obtained purposely by producing by hand a receding movement of the cap 21. This receding movement provides for a Contact between the semicircular wire 30 and the bent Vsections 33 of the round wires and thenafter for a spacing between the round wires with a view to releasing the horizontal sections 29 of the thick member Z7, which leads to an upward movement of the lever.

The automatic release in the case of a heavy fall of the skier is obtained through the same cooperation between the semi-circular wire 30 and the bent section 33. In the case of such a fall, the excess tensioning of the cable produces an excess receding movement of the tube 11 and consequently of the cap 21 since the latter is secured to said tube through the screw 25. Thus the precedingly described operation takes place again through contact between the semi-circular wire and the bent section 33 of the round wires; this leads to a spacing between the round wires and a release of the horizontal section of the thick member 2,7 and consequently to an upward movement of the lever. It is thus possible for the skier to adjust through said screw and in accordance with his weight and size the value of the excess tensioning leading to a release of his shoe.

Obviously the drawback of a partial raising of the lever is impossible since in the case of an excess receding movement which is insufcient for obtaining the required spacing of the round wires, the latter will move towards each other into their clamping position.

FIGS. 7 to l0 illustrate the parts of tensioning means including springs operating against tractional stresses and further parts forming a irst modification of the locking means.

The horizontal arm 38 of an angle member 39 is secured to the ski by wood screws while its arm 4t) which is vertical with reference to the ski is engaged by a threaded spindle 41 which is longitudinally shiftable upon rotation of the nut 42 which may be held fast by a counter nut 43. Round the rear section of the spindle is wound a powerful spring 12a, the rear end of which forms a loop 44, said loop being fitted in a vertical slot 45 formed inside a block 46 (FIG. l0) resting on the ski through its lower surface having a larger area.

The lever 1 is pivotaily secured through its sides 20 (FIG. 10) to the sides of the block 46 through the agency of the spindle 2 which passes also through the loop t4 and makes the block and the lever move longitudinally in unison with the free endV ofthe powerful spring. The case would be the same if the tensioning means were to include a second spring arranged coaxially with the iirst spring. The two arms of the cable-securing means are pivotally secured to the sides of the lever in the manner already disclosed with reference to FIG. 1 so that it need not be described any further.

The parts forming the locking means are almost the same as precedingly, but their arrangement is reversed inasmuch as the stationary element remains at a constant distance above the ski and the movable element is carried by the lever.

The stationary element constituted by the thick member 27a is held fast by the nuts 47, 48 screwed over the spindle gri 41. The semi-circular wire 36a, the sloping surfaces 23a and the horizontal sections 29a forming the female member are similar to the corresponding parts 30, 28, 29 described hereinabove.

The movable element constituted by the round wires 31a forming the male member is riveted to the rear end of the lever and said round wires are held spaced from the lever by the stays 50, 50 and are held in position by a bridge member 51. A knob 52 provided with a depression at 53 engages through a frusto-conical section 54 the round wires.

The automatic locking and releasing operations in the case of a fall are the same as inthe preceding embodiment. It is apparent that, as precedingly, the male wires 31a yare shifted laterally by the semi-circular wire 39a during the relative movement of the male wires with reference to the female element 27 carrying the semicircular wire 36a so that the latter urges `the male wires 31a transversely out of the position illustrated in FIG. 8 into a spaced condition for which said male wires disengage the recesses 28a-29a in the female element 27a and thereby release the lever which may then rise with reference to said element 27a and the ski. Upon continuation of the movement of the wire 30a, the male wires 31a close again into mutual engagement. However, the release is obtained purposely lby inserting the tip of the skiing stick inside the depression 53 `or else by depressing by hand the knob S2.

FIGS. 1l to 13 illustrate a type .of tensioning means diering from that illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10 through the fact that the lever instead of being pivotalily secured to the block 46 is pivot-ally secured toa carriage 59, the lower edges 64b-of which (FIG. 13) slide inside the slideway 6I formed in van extension of the lower arm 33 of the angle member 39 shown in FIG. 7.

The movable element of the locking means is identical with that illustrated in FIG. 7, but the stationary element is riveted to an unvarying point of the front end of the carriage. It includes sloping surfaces 28C and horizontal sections 23C forming the female member. However, the round wire Sdb is independent of the stationary element and is located at the upper end of the thick member 2.7:` which is held Afast in the desired position by thel spindle 41. The automatic locking and the hand-operated release are executed in the same manner as in the case of FIG. 7. When the skier falls heavily, the spacing of the round wires is obtained .through the fact that the receding movement ensures a Contact between the bent wire portions 33 thus subjected to the receding movement `and the semi-circular wire 30e which is not subjected to said receding movement.

Turning now to FIG. 14 which is a longitudinal section of a modiiication substantially along the line XII-XII of FIG. 1l, the differences between the structure illustrated in said FIG. 14 and that illustrated in FIG. l1 reside solely in the arrangement of the movable and elastic elements. The wire member 30C is secured in the same manner as the member 30h in FIG. 12v and in the case of a forward fall of the skier itk plays the same part which consists in spacing apart the movable element constituted by two parts 62 pivotally secured to the underside of lthe lever at 63. The rear ends of said parts 62 are secured to two-springs 64 forming the elastic element. Said springs 'bearing against the sides of the lever urge the parts-62 against the undersides of the horizontal sections 29c so as to hold Vthe lever in its lower position.

The pants 62 are provided to the 4iront of their pivotal axis with two small lugs 65 Ifolded downwardly after passing through gates formed in the sides of the lever. The release may be obtained purposely by urging said lugs towards each other between ones thumb and forefinger.

What I claim is:

1. In a safety 'arrangement securing a shoe to a ski and including a shoe-engaging cable and a tensioning member to which the front ends of the cable are attached,

I'the combination of a lever including two telescopic members, -to the front member of which the tensioning member is pivotally secured at points lying on a transverse line to the front of the cable-attaching points, means whereby the rear member of the lever is pivotally connected to the ski round a transverse axis lying to the rear of said first mentioned line and underneath the plane deiined by the cable acting on said front member of the lever through the pivotal points of ythe tensioning member, a spring urging the telescopic members of the lever apart to raise the front end of the lever upwardly and thereby release the cable and lock-ing means comprising a member shiftably carried longitudinally of the lever, provided with recesses Ialong its lateral edges yand subjected to the stressing of the spring, wires extending longitudinally of the ski and including sections adapted to engage each one of the recesses of the shiftable member to hold the same at a predetermined ilevel corresponding to a lowering of the front end of the lever, and means for shifting said wires out of the recesses to release the lever.

2. In a safety arrangement securing a shoe to a ski and including a shoe-engaging cable and a tensioning member to which the front ends ofthe cable `are attached, the combination of a lever including two telescopic members, to the front member of which the tensioning member is pivotally secured at points lying on a transverse line to the front of the cable-attaching points, means whereby the rear member of the lever is pivotally connected to the ski round a transverse axis lying to the rear of said first-mentioned line and underneath the plane deiined by the cable acting on said front member of the lever through the pivotal points of the tensioning member, a spring urging the telescopic members of the lever apart to raise the front end of the lever upwardly and thereby release the cable and locking means comprising a member shiftably carried longitudinally of the lever, provided with recesses along its lateral edges and subjected to the stressing of the spring, wires extending longitudinal-ly of the ski and including sections adapted to engage each one of the recesses of the shiftable member to hold the same at `a predetermined level corresponding to a lowering of the front ends of the lever, said wires including, to the rear of said sections engageable with the recesses, sections nearer each other and forming together ia restricted passage and a wedge carried by said shiftable member and adapted upon excess tensioning ot the cab-le and consequent stressing of the spring to move rearwardly and thereby open the restricted passage between the wires to disengage the latter with reference to the recesses and release the shiftable member and lever carrying it.

3. In a safety arrangement securing a shoe to a ski Vand including a shoe-engaging cable and a tensioning member to which the front ends of the cable are attached, .the combination of a lever to which said tensioning member is pivotally secured at points lying on a transverse line to the front of the cable-attaching points, a member Iadapted to slide longitudinally over the ski and to which the rear end of the lever is pivotally secured round a transverse axis located to the rear of the first-mentioned transverse line and underneath the plane deined by the cable acting on the lever through the pivotal points of the tensioning member, a spring iitted between a point rigid with the ski iand the transverse axis on the sliding member to urge the front end of the lever upwardly and thereby slacken the cable and locking means comprising a thick transverse plate carried by the ski `and provided with `a lateral recess on each side, elongated members carried longitudinally of the -ski by the lever and adapted to register with and elastically engage the lateral recesses in said thick plate upon tensioning of the cable to hold thereby the lever in its forwardly downwardly sloping position with reference to the ski, and means for releasing last-mentioned members with reference to said recesses.

4. `In `a safety arrangement securing a shoe to a ski and including a shoe-engaging cable and a tensioning member to which the iront ends of the cable are attached, the combination of a lever to which said tensioning mem,- ber is pivotally secured at points lying on a transverse line to the front of the cable-attaching points, a member adapted to slide longitudinally over the ski and to which the rear end of the lever is pivotally secured round a transverse axis located to the rear of the irstJmentioned transverse line and underneath the plane defined by the cable acting on the lever through the pivotal points of the tensioning member, a spring tted between a point rigid with the ski and the transverse axis on the sliding member to urge the front end of the lever upwardly and thereby slacken the cable and locking means comprising a thick transverse plate carried by the ski Iand provided with a lateral recess on each side, elongated members carried longitudinally of the ski by the lever and including concave sections the concavities ot which face each other, adapted to register with and elastically engage the lateral recesses in said thick plate upon tensioning of the cable to hold thereby the lever in its forwardly downwardly sloping position with reference to the ski, and `a wedge rigid with the thick plate and engaging the concave sections of the elongated members for the position of the thick plate corresponding to the engagement of Ksaid elongated members in said lateral recesses, said IWedge being adapted to recede to the front of the said concave sections and thereby space the elongated members and disengage same with reference to the recesses upon excess tensioning of the cable and consequently of the spring.

5. In a safety `ar-rangement securing a shoe to a ski and including a shoe-engaging cable and a tensioning member to which the front ends of the cable are attached, the combination oi a lever to which said tensioning member is pivotally secured at points lying on a transverse line to the front of the cable-attaching points, a member adapted to slide longitudinally over the ski and to which the rear end of the lever is pivotally secured round a transverse axis located to the rear of the first-mentioned transverse line and underneath the plane of the cable acting on the lever through the pivotal points of the tensioning member, a spring tted between a point rigid with the ski and the transverse axis on the sliding mem- .ber to urge the Ifront end of the lever upwardly and thereby slacken the cable and locking means comprising a thick transverse plate secured to the sliding member and provided with a lateral recess on each side, elongated members carried longitudinally of the ski by the lever and including concave sections the concavities of which face each other, adapted to register with and elastically engage the lateral recesses in said thick plate upon tensioning of the cable to hold thereby the lever in its forwardly `downwardly sloping position with reference to the ski, and a wedge adjustably secured to the ski and engaging the concave sections of the elongated members for the position of the thick plate corresponding to the engagement of said elongated members in said lateral recesses, said Wedge being adapted to recede longitudinally of the said concave sections `and thereby space the elongated members and disengage them from the recesses upon excess tensioning of the cable and consequently of the spring.

6. In ya safety arrangement securing a shoe to a ski yand including a shoe-engaging cable and a tensioning member to which the front ends of the cable are attached, the combination of a lever to which said tensioning member is pivotally secured at points lying on a transverse line to the front of the cable-attaching points, a member adapted to slide longitudinally over the ski and to which `the rear end of the lever is pivotally secured round a transverse axis located to the rea-r of the iirstnnentioned transverse line and underneath the plane of the cable acting on the lever through the pivotal points of the tensioning member, a spring fitted between a point rigid with the ski and the transverse axis on the sliding member to urge the front end of the lever upwardly and thereby slacken the cable and locking means comprising a thick transverse plate carried by the ski and provided with a lateral recess on each side, two members pivot-ally secured round a common vertical axis to the lever and adapted to engage the recesses in the thick plate upon tensioning of the cables, springs at the rear ends of said members urging said members into their operative recessengaging position, a wedge adjust-ably secured to the ski and engaging the lastementioned members and adapted to space same against the action of last-mentioned springs to disengage said members from the recesses in the plate and thereby release the lever carrying said last-mentioned members.

7. In combination with la safety lever pivotally secured to a ski and of which at least a section is adapted to move longitudinally of the latter, a locking system including interengageable parts carried respectively by the longitudinally movable lever section and by the ski and the outline of one of which includes a transversely and horizontally recessed section, a releasing member independent of said parts normally engaging said horizontally recessed section of said one part and rigid with that element, the ski and the lever section, which does not carry said one interengageable part, said releasing member being adapted upon relative movement by a predetermined amount of the longitudinally movable lever section with reference to the ski to shift the part having a recessed outline transversely and horizontally away from the second, cooperating interengageable part and thereby disengage said parts from each other, and elastic means urging said interengageable parts vertically away from each other upon said transverse shifting.

8. In combination with a shoe-engaging cable and a cable-controlled safety lever pivotally secured to a ski and including a section adapted to move longitudinally with reference to the ski upon excess tensioning of the cable, the provision of a locking system including a member extending transversely of the movable section and rigid therewith and provided with transversely extending recesses along its lateral edges, a rounded member projecting rearwardly of and rigid with last-mentioned transverse member, at least one elongated member extending longitudinally of the ski and rigidly secured to the latter and provided with a main section normally engaging die corresponding recess in the yfirst-mentioned member and a section shifted later-ally of the main section with reference to the longitudinal axis of the ski and connected with the main section through a transverse surface lying normally to the rear of the rounded member, the rearward sliding movement of said rounded member by a predetermined `amount with the movable section of the lever urging said rounded member against the transverse surface of the longitudinally extending member and pushing the latter laterally aside to release said longitudinally extending member with reference to the recess in the transversely extending member, and elastic means urging the movable lever section upwardly round its pivot upon said release of said transversely extending member.

9. In combination with a shoe-engaging cable and a cable-controlled safety lever pivotally secured to a ski and including a section `adapted to move longitudinally with reference to the ski upon excess tensioning of the cable, the provision of a locking system including a member extending transversely of the ski 'and rigid therewith and provided with a transversely extending recess along its lateral edges, a rounded projection carried forwardlyV of and rigid with said transversely extending member, at least one wire extending longitudinally of the lever carried by the latter including a main Section normally engaging the recess in the transversely extending member and a transversely shifted section connected with the main section through a transverse surface lying normally to the liront of the transversely extending member for the normal locked condition of the lever, the relative movement of the longitudinally extending wire urging said projection into engagement wvith the transverse surface of the longitudinally extending wire and urging the latter laterally aside to release said wire with reference to the recess in the transversely extending member, and elastic means urging the lever upwardly round its pivot upon disengagement of said transversely extending member.

l0. In combination with a shoe-engaging cable and a cable-controlled safety lever pivotally secured to a ski and including a section adapted to move longitudinally with reference to the ski upon excess tensioning of the cable, the provision of a locking system including a member extending transversely of the ski and slidably carried thereby and provided with a transversely extending -recess along its lateral edges, a rounded projection carried forwardly of the recessed member and rigid with the ski, at least one wire extending longitudinally of the'lever carried by the latter including a `main section normally engaging the recess in the transversely extending member and a transversely shittable section connected with the main section through a transverse surface lying normally to the front of the rounded projection for the normal locked position or the lever, the relative movement of the longitudinally extending wire urging said projection into engagement with the transverse surface of the longitudinally extending wire and urging the latter laterally aside to release said wire with reference to the recess in the transversely extending member, and elastic means urging the lever upwardly round its pivot upon disengagement of said transversely extending member.

il. In combination with a safety lever pivotally secured to a ski and of which at least a section is adapted to move longitudinally of the latter, a locking system including interengageable parts carried respectively by the longitudinally movable lever section and by the ski and the outline of one of which includes a transversely and horizontally recessed elastic section, a releasing member independent of said parts normally engaging said horizontally recessed section of one part and rigid with that element, the ski and the lever section, which does not carry said interengageable one part, said releasing member being adapted upon relative movement -by a predetermined amount of the longitudinally movable lever section with reference to the ski to shift the par-t having a recessed outline transversely and horizontally away from the second, cooperating interengageable part to disengage said parts from each other, and elastic means urging said interengageable parts vertically away from each other upon saio transverse shifting.

12. In combination with a safety lever pivotally secured to a ski and of which at least a section is adapted to move longitudinally of the latter, a locking system including interengagealble parts carried respectively =by the longitudinally movable lever section and by the ski and the outline of one of which includes a transversely and horizontally recessed section, a releasing member independent of said interengageable parts normally engaging said horizontally recessed section of said one part and rigid with that element, the ski and the lever section, which does not carry said one interengageable part, said releasing member being adapted upon relative movement by a predetermined amount of the longitudinally movable lever section with reference to the ski to shift the part having a recessed outline transversely and horizontally away from the second, cooperating interengageable part, elastic means urging said interengagea-ble parts vertically apart to disengage them from each other upon said transverse shifting, and elastic means urging said one interengageable' part into engagement with the releasing member 13. In `com'bination with a system securing a shoeto a ski comprising a cable surrounding the heel of the skiers shoe and a lever pivotally secured round a transverse axis and to which the ends of the cable are secured at points such that the tensioning action of the cable extends above said transverse axis, said lever including at least a section adapted to recoil upon increase in the tensioning of the cable, the provision of a system locking the lever against upward movement and comprising a transverse element provided with lateral horizontal recesses, two elongated elements extending longitudinally of the lever, engaging elastically the corresponding recesses and `including laterally offset sections, one of said elements, the transverse element and the elongated elements being rigid with the lever and the other with the ski, a releasing member provided with vertical surfaces lying at an angle with the elongated elements and adapted to cooperate with the offset sections of the elongated elements, one of said parts, the offset sections and the releasing member being longitudinally stationary and the other receding in unison with the recoiling section of the lever, the recoil of said recoiling sections reducing the transverse spacing between lastmentioned parts and urging them into cooperation for a 10 predetermined increase in the tensioning of the cable, to make the offset sections slide over said angular vertical surfaces and move elastically in a transverse direction to thereby disengage the elongated elements with reference to the recesses in the transverse element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,396,373 Henricksen Mar. .12, 1946 2,747,885 Rehacek May 29, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 136,031 Austria Dee. 27, 1933 180,024 Austria Oct. 25, 1954 207,087 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1939 207,306 Switzerland Jan. 16, 1940 840,647 France Ian. 23, 1939 1,056,556 France Oct. 21, 1953 1,171,212 France Sept. 29, 1958 

